Ontario Incentive Program Will Significantly Reduce The Cost Of Purchasing An Electric Vehicle

February 10, 2016 – Ontario is putting its new Climate Change Strategy into action by introducing a new, modernized Electric Vehicle Incentive Program that will help reduce greenhouse gas pollution and make it easier for Ontarian’s to switch to an electric vehicle (EV). Premier Kathleen Wynne feels Ontarians shifting to low- or zero-emissions vehicles is vital to achieving Ontario’s greenhouse gas pollution reduction target of 80 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050. The just-announced incentive program will significantly reduce the cost of purchasing an Electric Vehicle (EV) for just about everyone.

The province’s first Electric Vehicle Incentive Program was launched in 2010. Through this program, incentives were provided for the purchase of 4,800 electric vehicles and about 1,100 home chargers. The new, modernized program will:

Increase the current incentive range for EVs from $5,000 – $8,500 to $6,000 – $10,000
Provide an opportunity to receive an additional $3,000 incentive for vehicles with larger battery capacities
Provide an additional $1,000 incentive for vehicles with five or more seats
Continue to provide incentives linked to battery capacity of more than 5 kilowatt-hours
Cap incentives for vehicles priced between $75,000 and $150,000 at $3,000
Provide up to $1,000 for the purchase and installation of chargers for home and business use.

Today’s initiative builds on the December 2015 announcement that an additional $20 million from Ontario’s Green Investment Fund will go toward creating a network of fast-charging public EV charging stations to support city-to-city and in-city EV travel across the province. Through grant program, the province is seeking public and private sector partners to create a network of fast-charging EV stations in cities, along highways and at workplaces, apartments, condominiums, and public places across Ontario. [Applications opened on December 21, 2015. The deadline for Electric Vehicle Chargers Ontario applications is Friday, February 12, 2016].

Currently, there are about 5,800 EVs in the province of Ontario.

Green Licence Plates And The Useless HOV Lanes
Electric vehicles with green licence plates are granted access to the useless High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on 400-series highways and the QEW, even if there is only one person in the car. Vehicles eligible for green licence plates include all vehicles eligible for a rebate from the Electric Vehicle Incentive Program. There are no extra fees to get a green plate.

Support For Electric Vehicles

“At GM we believe the future of personal transportation will be increasingly electric and connected, with great benefit for our customers and society. Ontario’s enhanced plug-in vehicle incentives, part of its Climate Action Plan, establish the province as a leader in supporting consumers who are considering new electric vehicle models but remain challenged by the higher costs of fast evolving battery and EV technologies.” – Steve Carlisle, ‎President and Managing Director, General Motors of Canada

We are thrilled to see Ontario moving into a leadership position on electric vehicles, with a progressive suite of policy initiatives including this renewed and expanded incentive program combined with recently announced significant investments in EV infrastructure. We congratulate the province on these investments in Ontario’s clean energy future, which will deliver both emission reductions and economic benefits to the citizens of Ontario.” – Cara Clairman, President and CEO, Plug’n Drive

“Ontario must embrace evolving technologies like EV and Fuel Cell and encourage companies to develop the next generation of vehicles right here‎ – in the Silicon Valley of the North.” – Ray Tanguay, Auto Advisor to the Ontario and Canadian governments

Click HERE for the Ontario Electric vehicle charging incentive (rebate) program